The nightmare before Christmas
by vampslover77
Summary: Hi! I'm new on fanfiction and this is my first fic. Chiro goes to a mall and makes a fuss about this snowman. Please R&R!
1. Chapter 1

My name is Chiro, the leader of the hyper force. I've beaten up Shuggazoom's toughest enemies and I've fought for survival before. I've been through old temples of doom. But what happened to me last Christmas was scary. And I mean really scary. Not the type of scary where vampires suck your blood or anything. The type of scary where you fight for your lives and try to escape from the corpse and carcass of dead people and animals.

If you believe me, read on. If you don't, just turn off your computer and forget about this fanfic. So, when did this begin?

It was a normal Sunday morning, and Otto was really jumpy. He had eaten too much sugar cereal. We didn't know why. Maybe he was hungry. Maybe he was excited as it was the day before Christmas Eve. We were looking forward to a wonderful Christmas this year. The robot was already decorated, excluding Nova's room. We got her really mad because we put a reindeer plush on her bed. Yes, Nova had a fear of reindeers, especially ones with red noses. Sprx just went shopping at the mall, and he was supposed to meet me at the arcade with the rest of the hyper force. But, as usual, he was late. Don't ask me how we dragged Antauri here. But all I know is that I almost lost my voice.

"Hey, Chiro," Sprx raved, his hands empty. I was surprised.

"What?"

"They've turned it into a winter wonderland!"

"Huh?"

"They've turned the mall to a winter wonderland!"

The true struck me.

"They've got snowman, snow and all sorts of things!"

Let me make myself clear. I am NOT a mall rat. I'm not that type who spends his life at a mall. But I still haven't gotten presents, so why not go?

But when we arrived, my spirits weren't so high any more. The mall was packed with people. Millions of them! The noise was deafening. Voices clamored, kids screamed and laughed. The speakers blared out a song about Santa Claus. Many of my friends were there too.

"WOW!" screamed Jolene. "Have you ever seen such a gigantic snowman?"

"AWESOME!" Grace shouted.

"You've got to see the snowman!" Roy said.

I gave up. I grabbed Antauri's arm, which was holding Otto, who was holding Sprx, who was holding Nova, who was holding Gibson and I made my way through thousands of people. We squeezed through gaps until we reached the front. And I gasped at the most amazing sight I had seen.

In the center of the vast atrium, the floor was gone. All I saw was snow. Behind me, I could here Otto scream in delight as he scooped up a handful of snow. Nova gaped. Gibson, being the chief of science, examined the snow. Antauri remained silent.

"Chiro, I sense there is something very unusual here." He finally said.

"You talking bout the snow? It looks as though it snowed overnight."

In the distance was a street of wooden houses. Snow blanketed the roofs. Icicles hung from their gables. Golden and red lights glowed in their windows, as if someone was eating a candlelight dinner.

Behind the houses, a forest of pine trees glistened with fresh snow. While I was busy admiring the reindeer figurines nearby, Antauri locked his gaze onto the icy figures beside a snow-draped mailbox opposite where we stood. Someone had built three giant snowmen. Real ones like the ones you see on TV and postcards. Each one was more than three meters high, with a head, torso and stomach. They had carrots for noses, coal for eyes and sticks for arms. There were even pebbles for buttons. A colorful scarf was draped around each snowman's neck.

"I wish it snowed," Sprx said. "I wonder why they don't melt."

"Because, my dear Sprx, they are made by a special and rare chemical that…"

"Speak. In. Monkey."

"They are made out of fake snow,"

"But they look so real," Nova commented. I stared up at one of them.

"I wish it snowed in Shuggazoom," I said. I was focused on their faces when I saw one of the arms _move._ One moment, it was as still as a statue. The next moment, it twitched. It was over in a blink of an eye. I blinked. My heart skipped a beat.

I nudged Antauri.

"Did you just see that?" I whispered.

"See what, Chiro?" he replied.

"The snowman! It moved! It's ALIVE!"

Nova's jaw dropped. "Chiro, are you serious?"

"It's arm! It twitched!" I protested, pointing a finger at the nearest snowman. An old man grumbled to me,

"They're models, kid. They're not real."

"But it moved!" I screamed.

Antauri and Nova started pulling me away. A security guard blocked our way.

"Are you the kid who's causing all the trouble?" he demanded. And he did not look friendly at all.

"There's something wrong with the snowman," I explained.

"What are ya talking bout, kid?"

"The arm twitched. I saw it!"

The guard roared with laughter. "Very funny," he said mockingly.

I could feel eyes locked on me. How embarrassing, especially for the hyper force leader!

"Look, just go to this office," he handed me a card. "And see for yourself. But do NOT cause trouble for the people again."

I looked at it. It read:

**PRO MODDELING. YOU SAY IT, WE DO IT.**

**PROPRIETOR: MANNY THE MODLER  
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I starred at the address. I turned my heel and left. When I got out, I turned on my jetpack and flew to Blood Street, no. 4. Christmas was not off to a good start.


	2. Chapter 2

Vampslover: Hello! Sorry for the delay. I went to Melbourne for the exchange program and I forgot that I had a FF account… Sorry… Well, here is the second chapter!

"Chiro!" Nova seized my arm as I flew through the sky. A look of alarm was visible on her face. :You're not really going to the model maker's, are you?"

I stuck my jaw defiantly. "Why not? I bet they made a mistake, or there's something faulty about their snowman,"

"Kid, don't you think that you have gone too far?" Sprx cut in. "Everyone will think that the hyperfore's leader is crazy! You only imagine the snowman's arm twitch."

Even Otto tried to change my mind.

"Chiro, why don't we go and have a hoverburger and think about it," he suggested.

"You don't understand," I argued. "I saw something, I know I did, but no one believes me. I got to prove I'm right. When we see the model maker, he'll own up for making a technical error,"

"Either that, or he'll get us arrested," Sprx moaned, rolling his eyes.

We were still arguing when we reached the model maker's. Our argument was raging louder and louder by the minute.

The modeling building was blocked by tall warehouses. It was gloomy and old. The gray concrete walls were slick with grime, and all the windows had been blacked out with paint. The place looked really deserted.

A sign outside announced:

**Manny's models are models with maximum impact!**

Sprx ran ahead and blocked the entrance.

"You can't go in there! You're making a terrible mistake!" he warned me fiercely.

_A terrible mistake!_

He was right, but of course, I didn't listen.

I reached past him, turned the handle and opened the door-

And let out a startled cry.

A man was seated at a bench in a cluttered workshop. I was staring at Shuggazoom's famous star:

**JONAH WIZARD!**

"What are you doing here?" I gasped.

Jonah glared at me. Before I knew it, he leapt to his feet. His hands reached up, gripped his cheeks and squeezed his face into a awkward shape.

Then it vanished altogether.

Gone was the famous star, Jonah Wizard. The face I was looking at is nothing like a film star's. It was long and wrinkled, with a strangely bent nose and beady eyes. I will never forget how oily it was.

"Its only a mask," the man laughed at my expression. "Had you fooled, hadn't I? When I wear it outside, people always stop me for an autograph,"

"Isn't that impersonating someone?" Nova scowled.

The model maker shrugged and rubbed his bent chin.

"Whatever. Anyway," he extended his hand. "I'm Manny Maker, the model maker."

I hesitated, but shook it anyway.

Vampslover: Sorry for the short chapter… promise I'll make a longer one next time!


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